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Anarchism aims to strip labor of its deadening, dulling aspect, of its gloom and compulsion. It aims to make work an instrument of joy, of strength, of color, of real harmony, so that the poorest sort of a man should find in work both recreation and hope.
Emma Goldman
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Anarchism seeks to transform work from a burdensome task into a joyful expression of creativity and freedom.

In this quote, Emma Goldman articulates the vision of anarchism as a movement that aspires to liberate labor from its oppressive and monotonous nature. She emphasizes that work should not only serve as a means of survival but also be a source of happiness, fulfillment, and vitality, allowing even those in the most difficult circumstances to experience joy and hope through their work.

Themes

AnarchismLaborWorkJoyFreedomHarmony

In practice

Example use cases

Discussing the transformative power of labor in a community meeting.

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On rare occasions one does hear of a miraculous case of a married couple falling in love after marriage, but on close examination it will be found that it is a mere adjustment to the inevitable.
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No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.
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To the indefinite, uncertain mind of the American radical the most contradictory ideas and methods are possible. The result is a sad chaos in the radical movement, a sort of intellectual hash, which has neither taste nor character.
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John Burroughs has stated that experimental study of animals in captivity is absolutely useless. Their character, their habits, their appetites undergo a complete transformation when torn from their soil in field and forest. With human nature caged in a narrow space, whipped daily into submission, how can we speak of its potentialities?
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Anarchism is the only philosophy which brings to man the consciousness of himself; which maintains that God, the State, and society are non-existent, that their promises are null and void, since they can be fulfilled only through man's subordination.
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If love does not know how to give and take without restrictions, it is not love, but a transaction that never fails to lay stress on a plus and a minus.
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